Drinking fountain apparatus



arch 3, 1936. c ROBERGE 2,933,83

DRINKING FOUNTAIN APPARATUS Filed March 20, 1935 I N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT DRINKING FOUNTAIN APPARATUS Charles Roberge, Williamsburg, Mass., assignor to Reuben B. Hills, Northampton, Mass.

Application March 20, 1935, Serial No. 11,981

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in drinking-fountain apparatus. and the principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of improvements in drinking-fountain ap- 5 paratus which is not only novel in construction 1 novel arrangement, the amount or rate of flow of water is both uniform and easily and readily controllable.

Various and numerous other objects and advantages will be more fully hereinafter referred to in connection with the accompanying description of the preferred form of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional-elevational viewthrough a drinking-fountain apparatus embodying 1 the novel features of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a partialinverted plan view of thebowl part of the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawing morein detail, the invention-will be fully described.

A rather elongated body I is provided which 1 has a central boss 4 spaced from the walls '2 forming the body to provide a waste passageway or chamber 8. An extension 6 is associated with the body and an opening I is provided in the lower part of the body for connecting the ap-" .;-paratus to a waste pipe or the like.

A water inlet I2 is provided which may extend through another side extension associated withthe body I after the manner shown in U. S. Letters Patent 1,525,186 of February 3; 1925, to

;,Reuben B; Hills.

A passageway 14 is in communication with'the inlet I2 and a valve l6 co-acts' with a seat ill to control the flow of water from inlet l2. A

stem 22 associated with the valve l6 extends it carries on its outer end such operating means as a handle or wheel 24.

A spring 26 tends to urge the valve l6 towards its seat I8.

returned thereto by the spring.

wardly therefrom and through a tubular' part 32 ;;through a cap 22 provided on the extensionandfi By manipulating the handle the 50 valve may be moved from off the seat and be associated with the central part 4 of the body.

A bowl 40 has a rim l2 and a'skirt M, the latter of which engages with the upper side of the body as by the screw-threads shown. A central hub 46 receives the tube 32 of the body and a washer 48 is disposed between the hub 46 and the upper side of the boss 4 so that when the bowl is screwed onto the body, water will not leak from the connected tube 32 and hub 46.

A hood or cowl 50 extends upwardly at one side of the bowl 40. As is shown the cowl or right-hand side of the bowl is provided with an inner wall 52, an intermediate wall 54, and an outer or lower wall 56 arranged to provide therebetween a water-supply channel or passageway 58 and'a waste channel or passageway 60. Extensions of these walls form a boss such as 59. The upper channel extends around this boss so that the inner ends .of the channel are in communication with the passageway 8 of the body.

The intermediate wall 54 and lower wall 56 extend to and are joined to an outer wall 62 extending upwardly as shown to form with the wall 52 the cowl or hood.

An apertured valve seat member 64 is provided at the inner end of the water-supply chan* nel 58 and a valve 66, having a pointed end as shown, is adjustable by means of screw-threads 68 in a bore-l0 of the boss 59 so that its pointed end may be moved towards and away from the apertured valve seat. In this way the amount or flow of water passing into the channel 58 may be controlled.

A sealing member preferably in the form of a screw 12 and a packing washer M are employed 85 to seal the bore 18, substantially as shown.

A nozzle member 8!! in the form of a tube has its lower end secured to the intermediate wall 54 as by screw-threads and as shown extends upwardly within the cowl 50. A plug 82 is reciprocable up and down within the tubular part 88 and it has a central bore 83 therethrough. A plug-screw 84 is screw-threaded in the lower wall 55 and a packing 8t is provided between the head 88 of the screw and the wall 55.

A filter screen 9!], which is preferably of wire mesh and tubular in form, is disposed between the lower end of the part 88 and the screw 84. Water passing upwardly through channel 58 when valve I6 is moved from its seat enters the 60 screenBli and passes upwardly therefrom.

The nozzle 88' has an outlet 8| and a header or plug Bd at the upper side of the nozzle has a tubular-discharge-nipple 96 extending there-- from; Thesinner wall. 52 at its upper cowl-form= ing side is provided with a discharge opening or orifice 98 which is disposed above, and forwardly of, the end of the member 96.

It will be observed that the valve l6 may be manipulated to admit water from the inlet l2 upwardly past valve 66 and into the channel 58 when the user of the fountain so desires. The valve 66 controls the fiow of water intothe channel 58 and this may be varied within wide limits by moving the valve 66 back and forth or towards and away from the seat member 64. The water in the channel 58 in passing through the screen or filter 90 is, of course, filtered, which is desirable. It is well-known that the pressure of water flowing past valve 16 is likely to vary to some extent which results in non-uniform discharge. To overcome non-uniform discharge of water the plug 82 is adapted to function for this purpose.

That is, the plug 82 is raised and lowered accordingly as pressure of the water in channel 58 varies so that in some cases not all of the water passes through the plug 82 but passes beneath it, all to the end that the fiow of water through the plug is regulated to the desired extent whereby water is discharged from the member 95 at some desired uniform rate and in a smooth even stream so much desired in apparatus of this kind.

Water discharged through the outlet 8! of the nozzle 80 or water dripping from the discharge member 98 passes through the waste channel around boss 59 and downwardly into the chamber or channel 8 of the body and out the waste outlet which may be suitably connected to a waste pipe or the like. Excess water falling into the bowl passes downwardly through one or more discharge openings such as I00 leading into the channel 60 and then into the chamber 8 of the body.

Altogether a smooth stream of water may be supplied, the flow of which is at all times uniform and controllable by the valve 66 and plug 82 which co -operate for this function.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to a preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What it is desired to claim and secure by'Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising, a body and a bowl, said bowl having an upwardly extending rim which forms a cowl above and at one side of the bowl, a waste channel within said cowl extending downwardly and inwardly thereof, a separate water channel extending outwardly from the central portion of the bowl to a point below the cowl, communicating means between said waste and water channels, means in the waste channel for directing water upwardly from the Water channel and outwardly through said opening in the cowl, and

. means within said water channel operable by the pressure of water from said water channel for regulating the fiow of water through said opening in the cowl and arranged to direct some of the Water outwardly into said waste channel upon rise of the water pressure above a predetermined amount.

2. A unitary drinking fountain structure comprising in combination, a bowl having a rim a side portion of which extends upwardly and above a side of the bowl, an outer wall integral with and connected to the said side portion of the rim in spaced relation forming therewith a hollow cowl integral with the bowl, the said side portion of the rim having an orifice therethrough adjacent the upper part of the cowl, an intermediate Wall extending from the outer wall integral therewith and connected to the underside of the bowl in spaced relation forming a waste channel leading from the central part of the bowl into the hollow cowl, a lower wall extending from the outer wall and connected to the intermediate wall in spaced relation forming therewith a water supply channel, the said intermediate wall provided with a port connecting the cowl and supply channel, and discharge means associated with said port for directing water from the supply channel upwardly through the orifice.

3. A unitary drinking fountain structure comprising in combination, a bowl having a rim a side portion of which extends upwardly and above a side of the bowl, an outer wall integral with and connected to the said side portion of the rim in spaced relation forming therewith a hollow cowl integral with the bowl, the said side portion of the rim having an orifice therethrough adjacent the upper part of the cowl, an intermediate wall extending from the outer wall integral therewith and connected to the underside of the bowl in spaced relation forming a waste channel leading from the central part of the bowl into the hollow cowl, a lower wall extending from the outer wall and connected to the intermediate wall in spaced relation forming therewith a water supply channel, the said intermediate wall provided with a port connecting the cowl and supply channel, discharge means associated with said port for directing water from the supply channel upwardly through the orifice, the lower wall being provided with an opening disposed below the port in the intermediate wall, a member removably secured therein, and a screen in the supply channel associated with said port and accessible by removal of said member.

4. A unitary drinking fountain structure comprising in combination, a bowl having a rim a side portion of which extends upwardly and above a side of the bowl, an outer wall integral with and connected to the said side portion of the rim in spaced relation forming therewith a hollow cowl integral with the bowl, the said side portion of the rim having an orifice therethrough adjacent the upper part of the cowl, an intermediate wall extending from the outer wall integral therewith and connected to the underside of the bowl in spaced relation forming a waste channel leading from the central part of the bowl into the hollow cowl, a lower wall extending from the outer wall and connected to the intermediate wall in spaced relation forming therewith a water supply channel, the side portion ofthe rim having a discharge orifice adjacent the upper end of the cowl, the said intermediate wall provided with a port connecting the cowl and supply channel, discharge means associated with said port for directing water from the supply channel upwardly through the orifice, the said means including a hollow nozzle in the waste channel and in said port having an outlet leading into said channel, a tube at its upper side directed to the orifice in the cowl, and a hollow plug in said nozzle operable upon a predetermined increase in pressure of water in the supply channel to discharge water into the waste channel.

5. An apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, a bowl provided with an upwardly extending rim and a hollow cowl at a side thereof having a discharge orifice over said bowl, a waste channel extending from the hollow cowl to a point centrally of and below the bowl, a separate water supply channel extending from beneath the cowl to a point centrally of and below the bowl, and a port between said channels at the lower part of the cowl, means for directing water from the port and supply channel upwardly through the waste channel and out the discharge orifice, a body having a water supply passageway and a waste passageway, and connections between the body and bowl having communicating passageways whereby the channels of the bowl are connected to the passageways of the body.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, a bowl provided with an upwardly extending rim and a hollow cowl at a side thereof having a discharge orifice over said bowl, a waste channel extending from the hollow cowl to a point centrally of and below the bowl, a separate water supply channel extending from beneath the cowl to a point centrally of and below the bowl, and. a port between said channels at the lower part of the cowl, means for directing water from the port and supply channel upwardly through the waste channel and out the discharge orifice, a body having a water supply passageway and a waste passageway, and connections between the body and bowl having communicating passageways whereby the channels of the bowl are connected to the passageways of the body, the said bowl adjacent its central part provided with an opening leading into the waste channel thereof.

CHARLES ROBERGE. 

